Preston improving despite poor start - Heckingbottom

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom says their poor start to the Championship season has taken him by surprise - but insists performances are improving. The Lilywhites are bottom of the table after suffering five defeats and picking up just one win in their opening six games. North End ended a run of four straight losses by beating Blackburn in the Lancashire derby last weekend but gave up a lead to lose 2-1 at Watford on Tuesday night, despite creating 2.44 expected goals (xG) - 1.18 xG more than the Hornets. "I knew at the start it was going to be difficult but we've gradually got better each game," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire before Saturday's clash with newly promoted Lincoln City at Deepdale (15:00 BST). "I can't say we're not frustrated, all of us are, but likewise you can't say that you've watched the games and not seen improvements every week and we should have had more points. "But it's shoulda, woulda, coulda. You get what you deserve ultimately, regardless of the level of performance." Heckingbottom said scoring more goals is the responsibility of the whole team and not just the forwards. The 49-year-old also emphasised that he is not going to give up on trying to play attacking football just to grind out results. "There's no way I'm going to park everyone in our box to try and keep a clean sheet," he added. "You have to attack together, you've got to defend together and that'll never change." Defender Andrija Vukcevic is expected to be fit for Saturday despite going off at Vicarage Road in midweek, while Brad Potts, who has missed the start of the season with injury, is back in training. Captain Ali McCann will be out for several months after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury.